Growing up in the 60s

I finished reading A Confederacy of Dunces today. There are themes of revolution and in particular of revolting against the white upper middle class. The book speaks of its time -- the 1960s. I imagine Ken living his 20s and being influenced by beatniks, the young hip and cool people that resented the wholesome story book family life promoted by consumer ads.

Why would no one publish Ken's book while he was alive? It's because ACoD when read in the 1960s is blathering young angst but in the 1980s, after civil rights and feminist movements, suddenly his book was seen in a new light. Young angst, through a change in temporal perception, transforms into a historical novel of youth (anti- conforming ones) growing up in the 1960s in the U.S.

It's almost nostalgic. But in this sentiment lies the seduction of Pulitzer prize fiction (the P is awarded to novels of American life). I must remember, this country and its past are not mine.

I leave you with a passage that I like from ACoD on how George, a teenager, explains the verbosity of Ignatius, p. 283-4:

You could tell by the way that he talked, though, that he had gone to school a long time. That was probably what was wrong with him. George had been wise enough to get out of school as soon as possible. He didn't want to end up like that guy.

George is right. I've been in school a long time and I've seen what it does to people. Some talk in tongues. Actually, now that I think of it...Ignatius' self righteous pomposity does recall academics I've known...